Age dependency breakdown in Portugal
Portugal: Age dependency breakdown was 38.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
38.2%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
7th
of 236 countries
All-time high
38.2%
in 2023
All-time low
11.1%
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Age dependency breakdown in Portugal, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 38.2% for age dependency breakdown in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Portugal peaked at 38.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 1950.
Portugal ranks 7th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Age dependency breakdown in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.1% | — |
| 1951 | 11.2% | +1.1% |
| 1952 | 11.3% | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 11.5% | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 11.6% | +0.7% |
| 1955 | 11.8% | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 12.0% | +1.6% |
| 1957 | 12.0% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 12.2% | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 12.4% | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 12.5% | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 12.7% | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 12.9% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 13.1% | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 13.2% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 13.6% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 14.0% | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 14.3% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 14.7% | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 15.0% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 15.4% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 15.8% | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 15.9% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 16.3% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 16.6% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 16.9% | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 17.1% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 17.4% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 17.6% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 17.9% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 18.1% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 18.3% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 18.3% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 18.6% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 18.9% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 19.3% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 19.6% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 20.0% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 20.4% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 20.8% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 21.2% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 21.6% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 21.9% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 22.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 22.6% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 22.9% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 23.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 23.6% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 23.9% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 24.3% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 24.7% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 25.0% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 25.4% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 25.8% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 26.2% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 26.5% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 26.8% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 27.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 27.9% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 28.5% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 29.1% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 29.9% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 30.8% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 31.6% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 32.4% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 33.2% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 34.1% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 34.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 35.8% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 36.6% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 37.4% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | +2.3% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 38.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 25.9%, 1.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 38.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.1%, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11.7% | 11.1% | 12.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.6% | 12.5% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.5% | 15.4% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.8% | 17.9% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.1% | 20.4% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.6% | 23.9% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.2% | 27.9% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.0% | 35.8% | 38.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 4 Saint Helena 44.0% compare
- 5 Martinique 40.2% compare
- 6 Finland 38.3% compare
- 8 Guadeloupe 38.1% compare
- 9 Italy 38.0% compare
- 10 Puerto Rico 37.9% compare
More reference data data for Portugal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5144 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4372 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0472 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2572 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency breakdown in Portugal?
- Age dependency breakdown in Portugal was 38.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 38.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 1950.
- How does Portugal rank for age dependency breakdown?
- Portugal ranks 7th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency breakdown. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).